Blog
Notes from the house
A working journal for magicians and live entertainers: cue sheets, prop inventory, gig holds, invoices, run of show, and a private studio. Written from the desk at Housecue.
Money
How to price your act (with a calculator)
A working method for magicians and live entertainers to price a night: base fee, city, mileage, travel time, overnight, extras. Includes a free calculator with 2026 IRS and HMRC rates.
Sep 5, 2026
Booking
How to hire a magician (and get the right act)
A practical guide to hiring a magician for a wedding, party, or corporate event: close-up vs stage, what to ask, what it costs, and how to book without a marketplace surprise.
Sep 5, 2026
Money
How much does a magician cost in 2026?
Typical magician rates for close-up, parlor, stage, weddings, and corporate work in 2026 — and how working acts should price, deposit, and invoice without guessing.
Sep 5, 2026
Paper
What belongs in an entertainer contract
A clear entertainer contract for magicians, musicians, circus, and clowns: date, fee, deposit, cancellation, space, and recording. How to generate one without a lawyer on speed-dial.
Sep 5, 2026
Agency
How talent agencies keep a roster without sharing logins
Talent agency software, minus the marketplace: a private roster of magicians and live acts, client book, bookings, files, and invoices — each office on its own login.
Sep 5, 2026
The craft
One gig book for magicians, musicians, and circus acts
Housecue is built for magicians first — and for every legal live entertainer: musicians, clowns, circus, comedy, dance, variety. Same desk, same privacy, same invoices.
Aug 30, 2026
The studio
A private studio, not a public performer page
Why magicians and live entertainers should keep clients, fees, and show notes off public directories. How Housecue isolates a studio so only you can open the books.
Aug 28, 2026
The night
The run of show: a call sheet for the night
Load-in, call time, cues on the clock, the crate, and who to find at the door. How magicians and live entertainers print a run of show that actually gets used.
Aug 26, 2026
Invoices
How magicians and entertainers should invoice a host
Deposits, balances, letterhead, and a private invoice link. A complete billing guide for magicians, musicians, circus artists, clowns, and any legal live entertainer.
Aug 24, 2026
Bookings
Hold vs confirm: how entertainers should book a date
Inquiry, hold, and confirm — the three states of an honest gig diary. How magicians and live entertainers protect the calendar, take deposits, and avoid double-booking.
Aug 22, 2026
Inventory
A prop inventory that matches the crate
How magicians, circus artists, and variety acts should track props: name, condition, quantity, where it lives, cost, and which cues actually use it — so the crate matches the act.
Aug 20, 2026
Show planning
How to plan a magic show with a cue sheet
A complete guide to writing a magic show cue sheet: sequence, timing, props, music, and director notes. Built for magicians and any live entertainer who works a timed set.
Aug 18, 2026